What Is Nasal Impetigo?

To reduce this skin infection down to its most basic definition, nasal Impetigo is basically sores in the nose. It is part of the broader category of non-bullous Impetigo infections, which surprisingly affect 70% of all U.S. children under the age of 15.

Root Causes

The two main organisms that lead to nasal and throat Impetigo are Staphylococcus aureus and group a -beta-hymolytic streptococci (GABHS). Indeed, by virtue of its name, the latter is related to the same trigger for strep throat.

S aureus, as its known, accounts for a majority of non-bullous Impetigo, around 60%, with a third of these cases coming from a combination of S aureaus and another biological pathogen, S pyogenes. But only in First World nations. In the Third and developing worlds, GABHS is still the more common cause of nasal and other forms of Impetigo.

Minor Affliction

Although even the simplest form of sickness can present far greater challenges within the confines of remote area, Third World medicine, the good news is that generally nasal Impetigo is a very minor disease. With the proper antibiotics, it will clear completely within a period of two to three weeks.

In some rare cases, Impetigo in its nasal, bullous and non-bullous forms can lead to serious complications. These include: cellulitis, an infeciton that can spread from the skin to lymph nodes and even the bloodstream; MRSA, a strain of bacteria that resists most common antibiotics; and Post-Streptoloccal Glomerulonephritis (PSGN), a kidney infection sparked by drainage of Impetigo-fighting antibodies.

Cause and Effect

The reason young children suffer a higher incidence of Impetigo cases is pretty simple. Their level of hygiene is not yet as refined as that of teenagers and adults. Young kids are liable to stick a finger up their nose more frequently than their older siblings and parents, thus infecting their nasal passages. If someone traveling on a plane has Impetigo, it can also be fairly easily passed on to fellow travelers, young and-or old.